Putting Childish Ways Behind Me

1 Corinthians 13:11

Last week, we ended our Galatians Study and concluded with Walking with the Spirit, and this week we are picking up from there to hear what God says to the church in Corinth, through the Apostle Paul.

“When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.”

I have heard the story: The pastor speaks to the individuals who are engaging in lifestyles of sin, in loving concern for their soul… and the individual turns to the dear pastor to assure him… “Don’t worry pastor, I love Jesus, I am just a carnal Christian...”

Carnal Christianity, as it has been called, needs to be defined to some degree so we can have a discussion today.

Christians are saved. Christians still struggle with sin, or with the flesh, therefore, yes… we can be carnal in this way and experience carnal living throughout a life.

What is found in Scripture is the picture and reality of the Christian fighting the good fight of faith, making choices to follow and obey God or follow and obey self.

The Spirit and the carnal flesh fight one another… and we are to make progress in dying to self, or turning from self, and turning to the Spirit… to lead and direct our lives.

What is not found in Scripture is the idea that you can come to Christ… and your life is never changed… and that you can continue to live however you want to live… living lifestyles of sinful pleasure… and still be Christian without any fruit of Christ in their life...

This is unbiblical. This idea of Carnal Christianity is not real.

“But, wait, wait wait… somewhere in the Bible it talks about this...” I am glad you brought that up. Because it comes up in the book of 1 Corinthians, and you have to read the whole book to understand what is being said.

1 Corinthians 3:1-3 - “I could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not solid food… you are not able to handle solid food… Why? Because you are still carnal… You are still acting like babies/children...”

This church as a whole was not growing spiritually. They may have been growing numerically, but not spiritually (please understand the difference). They were not walking by the Spirit of God.

Church buildings can be full of people, but empty of the Holy Spirit. Church buildings can be full of people of various ages, but the church could be full of spiritual children/babies in faith.

This looks like the church in Corinth. This may look like a church near us. Or this could be or become us as a church.

*What are some of the issues or evidences of these carnal/babyish people? Just in 3:3 we see:

Envy (longing for what someone has, possessions, qualities), strife (bickering, discord, conflict involving bitterness, anger… which leads to quarrels and divisions)

People were dividing over preachers and teachers. People were jealous over spiritual giftings and wanted to emphasize one ministry over the other: “My ministry is more important, my ministry is better, or greater.”

They did not want to confront or talk about the sin going on in the church. Christians were suing Christians, wanting divorces, acting more superior, wanting to do things their own way, and not God’s way.

What is all of this pointing to? Selfishness. Me-ism.

Now: That is what children are controlled by, and this is what they operate out of. We get that. We train them out of that.

Now we are to never condemn a child or a baby for using childish or baby talk… and we are not to be harsh with them because they are acting as babies or as a child.

This is a baby; this is a child; this is what they are suppose to do for a season of their lives...

But, we have little tolerance for adults talking like and acting like babies or children. Especially in the church of God.

1 Corinthians 14:20 - Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.

Getting back to 13:11: What are we to do? “I want to be or become mature and show off maturity.” What am I to do?

When I became a man… When I became mature… I gave up childish ways. I recognize them and lay them aside.

What am I giving up? Childish-Selfish ways… Me, mine, give me, look at me, all about me and what I want… I want to be the greatest… cater to me… All about me and mine...

Listen: What happens when you put a few of these children in a room together with one toy? You have problems. You have fights. You have screaming competitions to get what they want.

What happens when you say “no?” What happens when children looks at the gifts they have and the gifts someone else has and... they become envious…? Problems.

Now: This may be fitting for a playground or for a daycare, and even then, you need someone mature enough to go to them and bring discipline, reproof and correction...

But in the church… In the Corinthian church, in churches today… Should this be fitting?

We have a nursery and a children’s program in the context of the church… But this is not to be a characterization of the church as a whole.

In the old days… Men trained boys. Women trained girls… So that boys would grow into men and girls, into ladies and women.

But what has happened today is this: Let’s put children with children all day every day. And what do we have? What we have is people in their 30’s still acting like children.

But what will happen in the church, if we do not have any spiritual mature people… and these people never put away childish ways…?

What if all the nursery kids and children, in that local church, see the same spiritual childish ways in adults? Their spiritual childish ways will be validated, normalized, and they will remain spiritual babies and children until… when?

Until… they know the truth... and choose to give up their childish ways.

How? The mind must be made mature by the Word of God, and then you Walk by the Spirit of God.

We start off with spiritual baby/child minds and attitudes. this must be changed. the mind must be renewed.

The Mind/Attitude - We are to have the Mind of Christ (Phil. 2) - This life is not about just you. This world was not made just for you. You are not the center of the universe. Even your own salvation is not about just you.

All things were made by God and for God. The world, the universe, and even you were made for God. Your salvation was given to save you from your sins and hell, but foundationally it was given by God for God… to Glorify God.

The spiritual gifts and ministries that are given, were given by God… yes for the church to be built up, and grow spiritually, but they were given by God and for God… to glorify Him… Not you… to point to Him… Not you.

We say: “But, I like their gift better… But, they get more attention than me… But, its not fair...”

***”But I want to be the greatest...” Jesus said in Matthew 20:25-26 - You know that Gentiles rule and lord it over them… their great ones exercise authority over them… It shall not be among you… But whoever would be great among you must be your servant… Whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave.”

What does Jesus teach us? the Greatest among Christians, the mature ones, the ones that are living mature Christian lifestyles will be the greatest servants in the church.

The babies/children want you to serve them. The adults want to serve. The least want you to serve them. The greatest will be found laying down their lives like their Savior for one another...

Philippians 2:3 - Christian do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves...

You say: “But, but, but… my interests, my wants, my name...”

Philippians 2:4 - Don’t look to your own interests, but also to the interests of others...

As a Christian: This is my attitude and this is what I am asking as a mature Christian:

What will help them? What will build them up? What will help this ministry? What will help the younger people? What will help the older people? What is to their best interest?

For each member of the church and for the church as a whole… what is best for them?

This is about the whole family. This is about all our family.

The individual with a mind-set like this: “But I need… attention. I need this… It is my identity… I do not have purpose, meaning or value without this. I need to be the center of attention. I need you to cater to me… Church is about me, my gift and ministry is about me… It’s about my desires and interests...”

You my dear person… are wrong… Your thinking is wrong… and you may need some long term Christian counseling.

Spiritually… you are a child. Whether you are 8 or 80, you are a spiritual child… and it is time to renew you mind.

Listen: For all of us who desire to grow up spiritually, we are going to have opportunities every day to deny the red-face child inside of us… and choose to walk by the Spirit.

And however painful growth may be: It is time to grow up spiritually.

2 Peter 1:3-8 - Teaches us that we have all that we need by God’s power and grace, to grow.

Now is time for the Christian to yield to the Spirit of God and the Word of God. Now is the time to obey, submit and live out the Christian lifestyle.

The world is watching. Unbelievers are watching. Your children are watching. Young believers are watching...

In a world filled with immaturity, it is time for the Church to put childish ways behind us.

Now is the time to put selfish ways behind us...

How Can We Grow in this Daily?

Renew the Mind, Live in the Word daily, spend time with God through prayer, pray in faith, find people to serve, witness to others, and hang out with people who are doing the same things… These people are growing...

Babies/Children in the faith do not need to hang out with other selfish, envious, gossiping… people. You will never grow around these folks.

Find some folks who are serious about growing in the faith, who will hold you accountable, and challenge you… And you will grow in leaps and bounds...

Granted, there will always be room for growth and maturity. What we see, how we see… will remain imperfect, and our sin will keep us from perfection… We will be inconsistent.

But our aim/goal is progress. Our goal is consistency.

Corinth was famous for their mirrors, so Paul uses this illustration. In their mirrors, you could only see a dim reflection of the real person… Just as in this life we will only see a dim reflection of God in us.

But when Christ comes, what we really are will be see, and for those who are Christian… You will be like Him.

But until then… there is progress to be made.

This place that we are standing in is not a playground; it is not a daycare. This place holds the children of the living God, who are growing from faith to faith and from glory to glory...

We are the called ones… separated from this world to be God’s special people. We are called to be mature disciples and disciple makers… To be men and women of God.

Did you ever play the “when I grow up game?” Or remember having those conversations?

“When I grow up… I want to be a singer. When I grow up I want to be a football player. When I grow up, I want to dance… and be rich...

And what we have been seeing in Scripture is this:

*When I grow up… I will be living a lifestyle without Envy (longing for what someone has, possessions, qualities)

When I grow up… I want to live a lifestyle without causing strife (bickering, discord, conflict involving bitterness, anger… which leads to quarrels and divisions)

3. When I grow up… I will be serving.

4. When I grow up… I will be looking out for the interests of others.

5. When I grow up… I will not think of myself too highly.

When I give up these childish ways… I will be growing as a man and woman of God.

I will be like Jesus… more and more...

Let us move on to maturity by Walking in the Spirit.

This is what the Lord is calling to.

What is holding you back from making spiritual progress?